Printed-circuit board arrangement for millimeter-wave scanners

Abstract

A printed-circuit board arrangement electrically connects the at least one transmitter and/or receiver unit with at least one antenna element, whereas the at least one transmitter and/or receiver unit and the at least one antenna element are at least partially integrated into the printed-circuit board arrangement. In this context, the printed-circuit board arrangement includes different printed circuit boards, which are mechanically connected to one another in a rigid manner. A first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement is formed by at least one printed-circuit board, of which the substrate is made from a first material which is suitable for high-frequency, and a second part of the printed-circuit board arrangement is formed by at least one printed-circuit board, of which the substrate is made from a second material different from the first material, which is still sufficiently suitable for a low frequency and/or for a direct-voltage range.

The invention claimed is:  
     
       1. A printed-circuit board arrangement for the electrical connection of at least one transmitter and/or receiver unit with at least one antenna element, wherein the at least one transmitter and/or receiver unit and the at least one antenna element are at least partially integrated in the printed-circuit board arrangement,
 wherein the printed-circuit board arrangement comprises different printed circuit boards, which are mechanically connected to one another in a rigid manner, wherein a first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement is formed by at least one printed-circuit board, of which a substrate is made from a first material, which is suitable for high-frequency, and a second part of the printed-circuit board arrangement is formed by at least one printed-circuit board of which a substrate is made from a second material different from the first material, which is suitable only for a low frequency or for a direct voltage range, wherein at least one cavity in which the transmitter and/or receiver unit is integrated, is milled and/or punched in the first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement, and wherein, with the exception of a recess for a horn element, an upper surface of an electrically conductive cover is covered by a damping mat and/or an underside of the electrically conductive cover above the cavity of the first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement is covered by a damping mat. 
 
     
     
       2. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one antenna element and the at least one transmitter and/or receiver unit are formed in the first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement. 
 
     
     
       3. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein both parts of the printed-circuit board arrangement are separated from one another by a ground plane. 
 
     
     
       4. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the transmitter and/or receiver unit is positioned directly on the ground plane for improved heat removal. 
 
     
     
       5. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 , wherein above the at least one antenna element the horn element is positioned, integrated into the electrically conductive cover, drilled and/or milled and/or etched, and the electrically conductive cover is screwed and/or glued to the printed-circuit board arrangement in a rigid manner. 
     
     
       6. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the electrically conductive cover covers an entire surface of the first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement with the exception of the at least one antenna element. 
 
     
     
       7. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one antenna element provides a patch antenna, which can be excited via two striplines connected to the transmitter and/or receiver unit. 
 
     
     
       8. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein a ground plane, in which at least one slot is integrated, is integrated between the patch antenna and the two striplines. 
 
     
     
       9. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein both parts of the printed-circuit board arrangement are separated from one another by a ground plane, and 
 wherein several via holes are arranged radially around the patch antenna and penetrate the first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement down to the ground plane. 
 
     
     
       10. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein no via hole is present in the region of the feeding of the two striplines. 
 
     
     
       11. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the low-frequency range and/or the direct-voltage range of the transmitter and/or receiver unit is connected by via holes to the at least one printed-circuit board of the second part of the printed-circuit board arrangement. 
 
     
     
       12. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the transmitter and/or receiver unit is a transmitter and/or receiver chip, of which the connecting contacts are connected to the at least one printed-circuit board of the first part of the printed-circuit board arrangement especially via bonding wires. 
 
     
     
       13. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a plug connection, by which the at least one transmitter and/or receiver unit is connected to a control unit and/or a measurement electronic, is arranged on an underside of the printed-circuit board arrangement. 
 
     
     
       14. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the transmitter and/or receiver unit is connected to several antenna elements and/or a plurality of antenna elements are arranged in a square on the printed-circuit board arrangement. 
 
     
     
       15. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein each antenna element is connected either to a transmitter unit or to a receiver unit, and, at a given time, a signal can only be transmitted via a given antenna element connected to a transmitter unit. 
 
     
     
       16. A millimeter-wave scanner with several printed-circuit board arrangements according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the printed-circuit board arrangements each with at least one antenna element each together form an array, wherein a signal can be transmitted from precisely one antenna element of the overall array, and wherein, for all other antenna elements of the overall array, which are connected to a receiver unit, a reflection of this signal can be received. 
 
     
     
       17. The printed-circuit board arrangement according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one antenna element provides a patch antenna, which can be excited via two coplanar striplines connected to the transmitter and/or receiver unit.